Method of securing wires together



Nov. 4, 1958 E. w. KRUEGER METHOD OF SECURING WIRES TOGETHER Filed Oct. 31, 1956 VINVENTOR: EDWIN W. KRUEGER BY QM %WM ATT'Ys United States atent O 7 METHOD. OF SECURING WIRES TOGETHER Edwin W. Krueger, River Fo'rest, Ill.

Application October 31, 1956, Serial'No. 619,478 3 Claims. (Cl. 140.-3)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in methods of securing wires together and more specifically to securing a wire of smaller thickness within one of a greater thickness or diameter. This problem is inherent in the manufacture of bedsprings, grills for the support of heating elements in electric stoves, refrigerator grill supports and similar articles of manufacture. It is, of course desirable to provide a method by which the smaller wires will be embedded within and locked to the larger wires in a simple manner.

Attention is directed to United States Letters Patent No. 2,162,815 dated June 20, 1939, issued to Edwin W. Krueger dealing with this same problem. This is directed to improvements over the methods described therein.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved method of securing such wires together whereby a better lock is obtained between the two wires at each juncture point.

A further object is to provide a novel method for forming the cavity in the larger wire whereby the smaller wire will be more securely held within the larger wire and locked against removal or twisting or rocking as hereinafter more fully described. Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for locking a smaller wire within a larger wire wherein the smaller wire is distorted upon assembly to provide a three point contact and lock with the larger wire.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved method of uniting two such wires which may be accomplished easily, and quickly, and inexpensively.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from :an examination of the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a sectional View of a larger or border supporting wire which has been provided with a receiving cavity in accordance with this invention, with a smaller round wire, being a portion of a :coiled spring assembly, positioned therein before being secured.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but after the larger wire has been crimped together over the cavity to efifect the locking relationship.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of this invention wherein a smaller fiat wire, such as may be used, for example, in supporting the electrical heating elements of a stove, is locked Within the larger round border or supporting wire. This view illustrates the relationship after the locking operation.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 3.

In detail, 1 is the larger wire and 2 is the smaller wire, being a part of a coiled spring assembly (not shown). The cavity in wire 1 has been formed by holding the wire and swaging or slitting it by a punch or similar tool shaped to form the two shoulders 3 and the two ribs 4. Whatever punch or tool is used will be pro- 2,858,858 Patented Nov. .4, 1958 ice vided with recesses.- corresponding to shoulders 3 andribs 4 and of conformation to form the; recesses shown, all ofwhich willbe readily understoodbythose familiar Withthis art. Thispunching action on, the held wire will provide lips 5. which, willhe'utilized'in the final or crimpingoperation. The, shoulders} are, positioned to support the coil; 2, before the crimping operation, above r-ibs- 4 and the bottom ofthe slotbetween the said, ribs. The ribs 4 are formed fromrecessesin whatever tool is usedo eontroL he; flow o meta uring. be...f, gine 0f h slot or re esstocre e-: 'P n r siz of the sh ulders 3- and the-lips 5. With the coil zgpositioned in the. slot and. supported by the shoulders 3, as, shown 1 in Fig.1 .1, an appropriate tool is used to crimp or bend the lips 5 against, over and down on coil 2. This operation first locks the smaller wire against the shoulders 3. The continued pressure forces the portion of coil 2 lying between the shoulders 3 to be distorted into a coil of shorter radius than coil 2 and to be forced against thev bottom of the slot. This effects a three-point suspension lock, the coil 2 being supported and held against shoulders 3 and the bottom of the recess by lips 5.

It can be seen and understood that by this method the smaller wire or coil 2 is positively locked within the larger wire and the three-point contact and distortion of part of the coil 2 resist any rocking tendency of the coil 2.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the basic method is similar with a variation due to the specific differences in the assemblies. In this embodiment, the smaller wire 6 is fiat and the larger wire 7 is cylindrical. The smaller wire 6 is formed with an opening or hole 8 near its attaching end 9 which is curved as shown. Larger wire 7 has been swage'd or punched to form :a recess 10 slightly larger than the cross section of wire 6.

To assemble, the smaller wire 6 is positioned within recess 10 but spaced from the bottom of the recess to provide a space 11. The opening 8 is positioned near the top of the recess 10. The lips formed by the punch operation in forming the recess 10 help to provide means for crimping the sides of wire against the wire 6 during the locking operation to partially close recess 10 and lock the wire 6 within. An appropriate tool is used to squeeze or crimp the wire about the recess 10 to first force the metal from wire 7 to flow within the hole 8, as shown at 12, Fig. 4. This secures the smaller wire 6 in initial position as the crimping operation continues. This crimping operation also then proceeds to fiow the metal of wire 6 outwardly against the sides of the recess 10, as clearly shown at 13 in the drawing, to form a threepoint contact and lock between the two wires to eifectively prevent removal, rocking or twisting. This is possible because of the initial holding of the wire in position by the metal flowing from larger wire 7 into hole 10.

The space 11 is left between the end of smaller wire 6 and the bottom of recess 10 to allow for expansion of wire 6 when it becomes heated, without interfering with the effectivenes of the locked assembly.

The similarity between the two embodiments of this invention is apparent as are the advantages over methods heretofore used.

Other modifications of this invention will be apparent without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of securing a smaller wire to a larger wire comprising swaging the larger wire to provide a recess having shoulders adapted to support the smaller wire away from the bottom of the recess before locking, placing a portion of the smaller wire within the recess and upon said shoulders, and crimping the sides of tho recess against the smaller wire to hold it against the shoulders and to distort that portion of the smaller wire lying between the shoulders and force it against the bottom of the recess.

2. A method of securing a smaller curved wire to a larger straight wire, comprising punching a slot in the larger 'wire having shoulders for supporting the smaller wire, placing a portion of the curved wire in the slot and against said shoulders, and pressing the sides of the straight wire together to lock the curved wire against the {shoulders and to distort the part of the curved wire therebetween to a -smaller radius and against the bottom of the slot between the said shoulders.

i 1 3. A method of securing two metal wires of difierent size together comprising forming a recess in the larger wire with shoulders therein, positioning the smaller wire within the recess and on said shoulders, moving the part of the larger wire at the recess over a part of the smaller wire within the recess to force it against the shoulders and continuing to move the metal of the larger wire at the recess to force another part of the smaller wire into distortion and against the larger wire within the recess to lock the smaller wire therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Leven Nov. 13, 1951 

